Phil Olson

Phil Olson grew up in Edina, Minnesota, home of the first indoor mall. His father’s grandparents came over from Norway and homesteaded a farm north of Fargo, North Dakota. His mother’s grandparents also came over from Norway and ended up in Virginia, Minnesota; the iron range. Mr. Olson played varsity football, basketball and track at Edina East High School, winning the Minnesota State High School Track Meet in the discus. Mr. Olson was recently inducted into the Edina Athletic Hall of Fame.After high school, he went on to Dartmouth College, where he majored in mathematics, was All Ivy, All New England and All East in Track, and played tight end on the Ivy League Championship Football team. After graduating from Dartmouth, Mr. Olson tried out for the Chicago Bears. After his “summer with the Bears,” he went on to receive an MBA from The University of Chicago and pursued a business career while writing stage and screenplays.Phil currently lives in Los Angeles where he writes and produces plays. He has 19 published plays that have had over 600 productions in 45 states and 11 countries. Thirteen of his plays are published by the Samuel French iprint of Concord Theatricals, including: Don't Hug Me, A Don't Hug Me Christmas Carol, A Don't Hug Me County Fair, Don't Hug Me I'm Pregnant, Don't Hug Me We're Married, Don't Hug Me We're Family, Mom's Gift, A Nice Family Gathering, A Nice Family Christmas, Polyester The Musical, A Twisted Christmas Carol, Birthday Club and Love...or Best Offer. Mr. Olson has written 7 award-winning plays set in small towns in Minnesota.His play A Nice Family Gathering has been optioned to be made into a feature film. His play Mom's Gift was produced at the Meadow Brook Theatre in Rochester Hills, MI, starring Cindy Williams (Laverne & Shirley). As a script doctor, he’s re-written three movies that have been produced, as well as thirteen original screenplays. He's also sold two screenplays.